Chapter 3: The Flower Forest

Let's return to Yen and his sister, Canji. After the escape, wounded Yen and his younger sister needed a plan of action.

(Yen) "Shit, what a load of shit! Haha, what a laugh. I couldn't do anything to save people and my two best friends! I was supposed to join the knights! What a joke!"

(Canji) "Don't beat yourself up, brother. You did the best you could, and you saved me. My transformation ain't much in a fight, so I couldn't help either. But I can heal your arm injury."

After these words, Canji transformed into a small fairy and cast Fairy Light to heal Yen's arm wound.

(Yen) "Thank you, sis. Maybe you are not very strong in a fight, but you have useful abilities."

(Canji) "So, what are we supposed to do now, brother?"

(Yen) "We need to save Max and Jop, of course, but to do that, we probably need to head to Weebtoo and join the army to fight the invaders. I'm sure the word of the attack had already reached the King."

(Canji) "YEA, LET'S DO IT! It will take us five days, though."

After that, my sister and I traveled across our country, from devastated village to destroyed city. We saw so many dead bodies of men, women, children, and transformed beasts, missing parts of their bodies. Some parts of human bodies were missing too, like ears, eyes, or genitalia. I guess the invaders took the parts of the dead as a spoil of war. But there was no sight of the invaders anywhere. You could call it luck because we did have food that we could just take with us since nobody would use it anyway.

But also, since I could see the worry on my sister's face, I guess we both had this question in mind: If all of the villages and cities were destroyed, are we sure that the capital is still standing? And what would we do if the same fate were to befall Weebtoo? Could I keep my sister safe since I left my giant axe in the village? While we ran for our lives, I was well trained in combat since my grandad was a knight who transformed into a minotaur as well. I can throw some punches with the power of my transformation, but I'm more comfortable with a weapon.

Four days passed, and we only needed to cross the Flower Forest to be on the straight path to Weebtoo.

(Canji) "Look at the Flower Forest. It's so beautiful."

(Yen) "Yes, but also dangerous. It is a mix of beauty and deadly since some flowers here are man-eaters. Canji, transform into a fairy and hide within my minotaur fur."

After that, we both transformed, and I headed into the flowery forest, but I couldn't let myself be distracted by its beauty. I knew that it would be very difficult to spot man-eating flowers since they looked like regular flowers disguised themselves. So we managed to go halfway across the forest without spotting any danger. But at that moment, I failed to notice that we were surrounded. I only noticed when a big flower bit into my shoulder.

I screamed in shock, "Ahhhhhh, dammit!" I freed myself with my hand by ripping the flower's head. Then I noticed we were surrounded by them. I knew that if I had my axe, this would have been child's play. But without it, I decided to outrun them. I sprinted with my horned head towards two flowers in front, spearing their heads on my horns. In the meantime, Canji cast Fairy Light on my bleeding shoulder. It was fortunate we weren't surrounded anymore, and I had an opening to run, so I ran.

But the flowers were smarter than I thought. They launched their vines at my legs, tripping me and pulling me towards them. I couldn't stop it; they bound my hands and horns too. I told Canji,

(Yen) "Canji, run, leave me behind, get to the capital, and save yourself."

Canji looked at me with a crying fairy face and said, sobbing,

(Canji) "Brother, stop joking around, free yourself, and let's go together."

(Yen) "I can't. Please, sis, just run, and remember I love you."

As the flowers pulled me, my sister tried to free my legs and arms, but it was in vain. She screamed through the forest, "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo," echoing through it as the flowers tried to devour me. I thought it was my end, but in the blink of an eye, I saw a big black dog ripping two flowers with his teeth. She jumped into the air and landed with her two feet on the remaining two flowers. The last flower freed my horns and launched the vines at the dog, but she was fast and agile. I couldn't believe my eyes; she dodged the launching vines with ease as she was speeding toward the last one. She launched her teeth and with a sudden quick bite, ripped the flower head. My life was saved when I saw that. If these flowers were man-eating, then this dog must be a flower-eating dog!

To be Continued